The Dominion Post
CHARLESTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee heard several hours of testimony for and against the water quality bill opponents have dubbed the “Cancer Creek Bill” before approving it and sending it to the Senate floor.
While a Department of Environmental Protection official defended the bill, two Morgantown water experts spoke against it.
The meeting — including deliberation of some other bills — had gone on past four hours, with at least half of it on this bill. Sensing that nothing new was coming, Sen. Randy Smith, R-Tucker, called the question.
In a show of hands, the bill passed, 10-5.
The committee also responded to several hours of prior testimony regarding SB 576, the gas well tract pooling bill, by presenting a new version of the bill March 22.
The new version was passed out at the tail end of a five-hour meeting. Chair Charles Trump, R-Morgan, had committee counsel review the highlights so members and stakeholders could take it home and digest it overnight. Work on the bill should resume today.
See more from The Dominion Post